When people think of The Netherlands, they undoubtedly think of tulips. Everyone has seen this pictures of huge, multicolored fields. Well, the grand dame of all tulip experiences here is a visit to Keukenhof. This year the park is open March 23 – May 14. Because it is so popular and can get very busy, you are advised to purchase tickets in advance. In fact, the weekends regularly sell out.
The current day version of Keukenhof began in 1949 with a group of 20 flower bulb growers and exporters. They decided to use the grounds of the estate to exhibit their spring-flowering bulbs and it was opened to the public in 1950. That first year, the gardens welcomed 236,000 visitors. Prior to COVID, the gardens welcomed more than 2 million people. It is fair to say, it is a busy place.
Today, the park showcases 7 million spring-flowering bulbs, from 100 growers. Think of this like the auto show for flowers. Buyers come here to see all the newest and best bulbs and then they can order them for purchase from these growers. As you walk around you will see tags on each of the varieties, noting the name and the grower. But there are also 500 flower growers who present a variety of cut flowers and potted plants in more than 20 flower shows/exhibits.
For those of us who are local, you can buy a season pass for €45,00, which gives you unlimited visits, and doesn’t require you to book a time slot in advance. The single day admission price for an adult is €19,00. As you can imagine, the park changes weekly. They carefully plant so that there is something always blooming. From the daffodils, irises, hyacinths, early tulips, and later tulips. There is always something new so each visit is different.
Red, White and Tulips 